Associate - Inclusive Finance at Busara Center for Behavioral Economics

Inclusive finance at Busara

“We make behaviorally-informed solutions work for the people they are supposed to help.”

The above quote summarizes what is at the core of Busara’s mission. Busara’s inclusive finance portfolio pursues this mission in the spaces of formal and informal financial services. We work with partners in the private sector, philanthropy and those in the regulatory space to figure out how to improve people’s financial wellbeing. We most often do this by: 

Understanding contexts - Designing and implementing research to better understand the form and function of markets, ecosystems and the contribution of actors that shape it. Further and crucially, we seek to understand nuanced perspectives on the behaviors, needs and realities of people in low income settings. 

Informing strategy -  We leverage knowledge and insights to work with partners to help them determine what they can and should do to optimize markets and add value to low-income people.  

Develop & iterate products - Using Behavioral and Human Centered Design approaches, we work with our partners and end users to develop prototypes for bespoke financial products that add value and optimize financial wellbeing.

Role Purpose Statement

The Associate supports both the advisory and research arms of Busara by leading the planning, execution, and day to day management of Busara projects. While the role will mainly involve research and advisory in inclusive finance, they may be expected to contribute to other portfolios. 

As primary project manager for all external Busara projects, an Associate quickly gains an expert understanding of a particular problem or research question and uses all tools at their disposal, both within and outside Busara to execute an engagement to the highest possible degree, with careful consideration of timing and budget. An Associate develops creative and rigorous solutions to client and partner needs and manages both internal and external relationships with energy, enthusiasm, and professionalism. 

Associates directly manage other project staff that work on their project and, as well as liaise with other Busara teams and are expected to coordinate and manage staff effectively.

Key Accountabilities/Responsibilities

CORE PROJECT RESPONSIBILITIES: Associates will work closely with Busara offices and directly with academic researchers and advisory clients to perform a variety of tasks including, but not limited to

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  • Engage in multiple large-scale research and advisory projects at a given time.
  • Plan, manage, and execute external and internal engagements independently from start to finish with limited supervision.
  • Incorporate the latest research in qualitative and quantitative methods, behavioral science, psychology, economics, and development to provide creative solutions to engagements.
  • Manage and conduct qualitative and quantitative research and data analysis.
  • Design, launch, and analyze effective quantitative and qualitative survey instruments with coordination among project staff (Analysts, Project Leads, Data and Programming, and Operations teams).
  • Serve as a point of contact for clients and partners.  Effectively manage the needs of stakeholders through proactive communication and troubleshooting.
  • Contribute to project on-boarding and off-boarding for knowledge management.
  • Responsible for project timelines, deliverables, reports, and staffing.
  • Contribute to the creation of proposals, concept notes, and pitch decks for new business opportunities and knowledge sharing. Present at conferences, networking events, or client meetings.
  • Contribute to the design, execution, and dissemination of Busara internal research projects.
  • Work closely to lead or support other Associates to fulfill engagement requirements.
  • Perform any other duty as may be assigned by the project supervisor.

CORE ORGANIZATIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES: In addition to project responsibilities, Associates also have the following organizational responsibilities to ensure a healthy and functioning organization.

• • Work with the Associate team to conduct goal-setting exercises, objectives and key results, and team building events.
  • Contribute to skills-building workshops for Associate teams.
  • Assist with internal initiatives where necessary.
  • Serve as mentors to Analysts and Project Lead team members, when requested.

Knowledge, Skills, and Experience: Minimum Requirements

• • A Bachelor’s degree in Economics, Social Sciences, Public Policy, or related fields.
  • Strong qualitative, quantitative, research, and data analytic skills.
  • 2-5 years’ previous work experience in financial inclusion / research in financial services
  • Experience managing large scale research and consulting projects in developing countries.
  • Demonstrates the ability to manage high-level relationships with partner organizations.
  • Strong quantitative skills including knowledge of and experience working with data analysis software
  • Experience managing and mentoring staff
  • Ability to quickly understand and adapt to new contextual situations
  • Excellent management and organizational skills.
  • Flexible, self-motivating, able to manage multiple tasks efficiently, and a team player.
  • Interest and experience working in a fast-paced working environment.
  • Fluency and excellent communication and writing skills with a mastery of English.
  • Ability to execute projects while sustaining a global focus and vision for institutional planning and decision making.

Desired Qualifications:

• • A Master’s degree in Economics, Social Sciences, Public Policy, or related fields.
  • Technical understanding of qualitative research techniques.
  • Knowledge of the application of behavioral science to real-world problems.
  • Proficiency in Stata, R, or Python
  • Technical understanding and practical experience of randomized controlled trials and/or quasi-experimental designs

We will be reviewing applications on a rolling basis until the position is filled. We encourage you to apply as soon as possible.